Device for introduction of the electrodes in electric furnaces



Sept. 1 1924 1,508,486

F. THARALDSEN DEVICE FOR INTRODUCTION OI" THE ELECTRODES Iii-ELECTRIC FURNACES Filed Sept. 6, 1922 gnvcuroz .Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- a hopper containing FILIP THABALDSEN, F

DEVICE FOR INTRODUCTION OF THE cnms'rmnm, nonwnr.

ELECTRODES 111 ELECTRIC ronmions.

Application filed September 6, 1922. Serial No. 586,543.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FILIP THARALDSEN, a citizen of Norway, Christiania, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Introduction of the Electrodes in Electric Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

In many electrothermic operations it is of importance that the furnace chamber is perfectly air tight in order to, avoid oxidation in the furnace chamber. In such cases the openings, through which the electrodes are introduced through the vault or the walls of the furnace, form a weak point, because air can enter through the space necessarily existing between the electrode and the sides of the introduction opening. Attempts have been made to decrease the entrance of air by making the opening narrow. This has, however, the inconvenience that the electrodes catch during their'feeding whereby they are exposed to lateral stress, which occasionally result in a breakage of the electrodes with all the attendant inconveniences. It has also beenproposed to surround the introduction opening with granular material. However, such an expedient is not sufficient to obtain at the same time an easy width of the openin and a ood tightening around the electro es. If t e opening is to be spacious, the material must be rather coarse grainedlest it will fall through the opening along the electrode. But such coarse material does not afford good protection against the entrance of air. On the other hand if fine grained material is used, the free space around the electrode must be narrow, and the inconveniences of narrow openings make themselves felt.

y the present invention a spacious and easy introduction of the electrode and at the same time a god tightening is realized. According to the invention also a funnel or hopper is placed around the opening through which the electrodes pass. But in this funnel or hopper an elastic medium is provided that grainy material and in a manner or the said purpose fills suflicient the circular inter.-

val between the electrode and the side of the opening.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 illustrates one form of my inresiding at Bestum, near serves as support for thevention, showing a wire guard around the electrodes;

Fig. 2 is a modification in which the guard is in the form of a roll of wire.

M invention may be constructed for example of one or more undulated rings a. or some elastic material as of iron-wire at the bottom of the funnel a. e rings are given such a diameter that they cannot fall through the opening, while they, on account of the zigzag curves, as illustrated in Fig. 1, yield elastically for eventual sideward movements of their electrodes during the introduction. This elastic tightening at the bottom of the funnel can of course'also be obtained in other ways. So a roll of wire 6, Fig. 2, of suflicient width may be placed around the electrode.

On such elastic support fine-grained material may be placed without any risk of its falling through the electrode in the furnace opening.

many cases the granular materialmay advantageously consist of coal or carbonaceous materials. The carbonaceous materials will protect the electrode both by im peding the air from arriving to the electrode and by consuming the oxygen before it attacks the electrode. In certaincases also other grained materials may be used. So it is very simple to use for tightening the materials constitutin the charge proper. In this latter case it has proved to be most advantageous to place the grainy tightening material in such a wayaround the electrode that the carbonaceous parts of the materials are nearest to the electrode. The protective effect on the electrode will be reatest.

aving described my invention I declare that what I claim is: Y

1. A device for protecting electrodes in electric furnaces comprising a hopper surrounding the electrode opening in the fur-- nace, an elastic medium in the lower part of said hopper, and a layer of grained material on said elastic medium- 2. A device for protecting the electrodes of electric furnaces, comprising a funnel surrounding the electrode opening in the furnace, an undulated ring of metal wire laced in said funnel and a layer of granuar material on said ring.

3. A device for protecting the electrodes of eledtzric furnaces comprising a. funnel surrounding the electrode opening in the furnace, a roll of wire placed in said hopper around the electrode and a layer of granular material placed on said roll.

4. A device for protecting the electrodes of electric furnaces, comprising a hopper surrounding the electrode openin in the furnace, anelastic medium in sai hopper and a layer of granular carbonaceous material placed on said elastic medium. I

5. A device for protecting the electrodes 1 of electric furnaces comprising a hopper surrounding the electrode opening in the furnace, an elastic medium in said hopper and a layer of carbonaceous material placed on said elastic medium.

6; A device for protecting the electrodes. of electric furnaces, comprising a hopper surrounding the electrode opening in the furnace, an elastic medium in said hopper and a layer of carbon containing material supported on said elastic medium, the carbon contents of the material arranged next to the electrode. Y

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

FILIP THARALDSEN; 

